In order to make electrical termination to a printed circuit board, the art has developed various electrical connectors which are mounted to the printed circuit board and provide connection capabilities for external components. Typical of these devices are electrical connectors having an insulative housing with plural electrical contacts supported therein. These contacts include tail portions which extend exteriorly of the insulative housing and are insertable into through holes in the printed circuit board. These contact tails may be soldered or otherwise secured to the printed circuit board to provide mechanical and electrical connection thereto. The contacts also include connection portions opposite the contact tails which are designed for connection to contacts of a mating electrical connector. Thus, these electrical connectors establish connection between the mating connector and the printed circuit board.
These printed circuit board connectors may be used for a wide variety of interconnection purposes. For instance, the printed circuit board connectors may be adapted to mate with a mating electrical connector terminating a flat ribbon cable. The printed circuit board connectors may also be adapted to terminate a connector mounted to an external component such as a disk drive in computer applications.
One technique to adapt a particular printed circuit board connector to terminate a particular mating connector is to vary the type, position and displacement of the contacts supported in the insulative housing. Variations such as, for example, contact pitch, contact configuration and number and location of contacts may render the printed board connector uniquely connectable with one type of mating connector. As an example, there exists certain mating connectors which employ what is known in the art as a "first-make last-break" feature. This feature assures that when connection between the printed circuit board connector and the mating connector is made, certain contacts such as, for example, ground contacts make electrical connection before the remaining contacts, such as the single contacts. When disconnecting the printed circuit board from the mating connector, this feature assures that the ground contacts break connection after the signal contacts break connection. Thus the contacts positioned with the insulative housing of the printed circuit board must be uniquely configured and positioned within the housing so as to provide such feature.
Furthermore, it is necessary to assure that the printed circuit board connector is securely mounted to the printed circuit board. While the contact tails make electrical connection and to some degree provide for mechanical connection to the printed circuit board, secure mechanical engagement of the connector to the printed circuit board must be assured. Such securement is provided so that the printed circuit board connector maintains its mechanical and electrical engagement with the printed circuit board during repeated mating and unmating cycles.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a multi-contact printed circuit board connector which may be securely mechanically and electrically connected to a printed circuit board and which includes contacts specifically configured and located to provide the desired connection interface.